Autism Awareness Blog Hop 2018 featuring Stampin’ Up! products

April is Autism Awareness Month. A group of Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators around the globe are bringing attention to this important topic. Some, like me, are participating in a blog hop where you can learn more about autism while enjoying some handmade art via our stamped projects. You may also feel moved to donate to a reputable charity that I will share later in this post. Awareness leads to compassion, understanding, and, hopefully, additional funding to aid research and autism related programs.

There are countless facts and statistics about autism but, in my reading up on it, I was really moved and inspired by the quotes from those who have autism, their families, and those who work tirelessly to help them. For example:

“Think of it: a disability is usually defined in terms of what is missing. … But autism … is as much about what is abundant as what is missing, an over-expression of the very traits that make our species unique,” Paul Collins, Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism

“Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine,” Alan Turing, creator of the first computer used to break codes during WW II.

“Within every living child exists the most precious bud of self-identity. To search this out and foster it with loving care; that is the essence of educating an autistic child,” Dr. Kiyo Kitahara

“The most interesting people you’ll find are ones that don’t fit into your average cardboard box. They’ll make what they need, they’ll make their own boxes,” Dr. Temple Grandin

“It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a child with autism to raise the consciousness of the village,” Coach Elaine Hall

Autism also has its own ribbon just like the pink for breast cancer or the gold for childhood cancer. “While the 3 primary colors (red, yellow, blue) are often used for ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) I think that limiting the colors of Autism to 3 is not representative of who it affects and those living with the disorder. Individuals with Autism are as unique as the colors in a rainbow, but represent dozens – if not hundreds – of shades of each color. Their uniqueness compliments the other colors; together each person adds their own brilliance to the “spectrum” of colors.” Annie Tanasugarn, M.S., BCBA, PhD.

In honor of the red, yellow, and blue autism ribbon, I created this card for this hop. My motivation was to remind all who are affected by autism, in any way, that there are countless others who hold them in their hearts and that we are all connected in the circles of our communities, countries, the globe, and in life.

April is Autism Awareness Month

The hopeful news about autism is that there are many organizations that exist to assist. I invite you to join me in making a donation of ANY size to the charity that I have personally chosen and that I link to in the first heart button below. The charity I have chosen (and vetted as a top autism charity) is local to me and is called the MIND Institute at UC Davis.

“The MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis, was founded by parents but focused on research. Today, it conducts a very wide range of research studies while also providing diagnostic and therapeutic services, education, and other programs.

According to its website the founders “envisioned experts from every discipline related to early brain development working together toward one goal; finding and developing treatments for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities.”

Over the years, it has consistently conducted high level, peer-reviewed studies with impressive results. Because of its funding, expertise, and status, the MIND Institute has also been able to conduct very large autism studies—something that many smaller groups find difficult.”

Please click on the heart to make your donation of any size. Thank you!

The very next stop on this hop is with Sue Plote at The Pink Rooster. Please click on the heart below to hop right on over to Sue’s blog to see her creation honoring autism awareness. Thanks for stopping by!

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The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of Stella MacKay as an Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. The use of and content of classes, services or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up!